The Ingredients You Should Look For In An Acne-Fighting Body Wash
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
We can all agree that acne is annoying. According to the Mayo Clinic, acne is a skin condition resulting from your hair follicles becoming plugged with oil or dead skin cells, which results in whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. It's not harmful, but it can be persistent and leave scars, affecting our self-esteem. Unfortunately, acne can also pop up on other parts of your body, such as your chest, back, arms, and butt. This happens as a result of friction with your clothes or backpacks, making your pores get blocked by oil and dead skin cells (via Verywell Health). The leading cause of back acne, for example, is skin irritation, and most of the time, we're not as aware of it as we are of face acne.
According to Positive Health Wellness, you can reduce body acne by sleeping on clean bed linens, avoiding wearing synthetic materials, and avoiding acne-causing foods like processed carbohydrates and dairy. It's also essential to keep your skin clean and free of germs, and one of the ways to do so is by taking regular showers. You can treat your body acne with medicated over-the-counter or prescription products, but you need to know the right ingredients to look for.
Certain acne-fighting ingredients stand above the rest
If your body acne bothers you, it's best to treat it with powerful, acne-fighting ingredients such as salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil, and aloe vera (via Medical News Today). Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid that reduces acne by exfoliating the skin and clearing the pores to both treat existing acne and prevent future breakouts. Well + Good recommends the affordable Neutrogena Body Clean Acne Treatment Body Wash, which contains 2% salicylic acid.
Byrdie loves Humane Acne Wash with 10% Benzoyl Peroxide, which can specifically target acne-causing bacteria and also has anti-inflammatory properties to keep you acne-free. Benzoyl peroxide destroys acne-causing bacteria in your pores, per Teen Vogue, and it can work as quickly as in 5 days. This body wash might be a bit too strong for the face, but the thicker skin on your body can easily tolerate it.
Finally, tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties to calm swelling, clear redness, and prevent acne. Aloe vera is antibacterial, so it can control and reduce acne-fighting bacteria as well (via Healthline). According to Bustle, The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Body Wash is ideal if you're prone to body breakouts because this soap-free cleanser also has tamanu oil for skin health. For an aloe vera option, Who What Wear recommends Kayo Detox Body Wash with charcoal that "pulls away" dirt and oil from the skin while the aloe seals it with moisture.